Generation X
by Arsonist Phoenix
Summary: Rogue, Jean Scott, KittyLance, Kitty Kurt, any suggestions? (REVISED!)
1. Darkness

OKAY, NOW I'VE CHANGED EVERYTHING TO MAKE IT X-MEN EVOLUTION, INSTEAD OF THE MOVIE (I HAVEN'T SEEN ALL OF THE EVOLUTION EPISODES, SO PLEASE CORRECT ME)  
  
Generation X Darkness  
  
"WELL I'M NOT! AND I NEVER WILL BE! MAYBE IF I DIE, TOO, YOU'LL NOTICE THE GOOD THINGS I'VE DONE!"  
  
Isabella Sulinski stormed out of her house in her black silk pajamas and ran down the road to her high school. She stopped at the practice football field and saw that the guys had left one of their shot puts out. Angry, upset and crying she picked up the 12lb lead ball, and threw it. It soared over the fence, over the game field and into the last row of the home stands, at least a hundred yards from where she stood. The best guy on the team could only throw it 40- some feet. She stood there wide- eyed and open- mouthed. Her dark red hair blew wildly in the wind, and her blue eyes were unblinking. Then she panicked; she'd put a hole in the bleachers. She ran away from the school, as soon as she reached the sidewalk, she slipped on some gravel, but she never touched the ground. She tensed as she braced for impact, but relaxed when the impact never came. She looked around her and noticed that she was floating above the sidewalk. She put both feet back on the ground and ran back home.  
  
'Normal sixteen- year- olds can't float or throw things that far. God help me!' she thought.  
  
She opened the door to her house, and was immediately greeted by her father.  
  
"I'm surprised you came back, you didn't last time," he grumbled.  
  
"Well, I forgot my stuff. And plus, my sister never ran away, but then again, SHE DIED!"  
  
Isabella started up the stairs to her room, but her father grabbed her upper arm.  
  
"Don't you EVER talk about your sister that way!"  
  
Isabella pushed him off of her, sending him through the wall.  
  
"Oh, Daddy! I'm sorry, I didn't mean-Mommy, I'm sorry--"  
  
"Just go up to your room," said her mother, looking through the hole in the wall.  
  
Isabella ran up to her room, and sat on her bed in a little ball, rocking back and forth. A couple hours later, Isabella heard the doorbell ring, and she heard her mother talking.  
  
"Yes, she's here. Please, come in. Isabella, you have company."  
  
Isabella, did her make up and brushed her hair, then ran downstairs, forgetting about her pajamas. She saw two people: an older, bald man in a wheelchair, and a young African- American woman, with white hair.  
  
"Hello, Isabella. I am Professor Charles Xavier, and this is Ororro Monroe. You have been accepted in to Xavier's School for the Gifted," said the man.  
  
"Are you sure you have the right girl?" Isabella asked her southern drawl lowered almost to a whisper.  
  
"You are Isabella Sulinski, are you not?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Then we have the right girl. Our school is in upstate New York. We are set on helping gifted children, like you."  
  
"Gifted?"  
  
"Mutants, like us," she heard a voice whisper inside her head.  
  
"Do you really want to accept me? I have a criminal record, and I can't leave the state yet."  
  
"I've spoken to your judge, and she thinks it will be good for you."  
  
"Would you like to attend?" asked Ororro.  
  
Isabella nodded.  
  
"When are you going?" asked Isabella's mom.  
  
"Whenever is convenient for you," said the Professor.  
  
"Today, if you can, so she's not an inconvenience to you," said her father, holding a bag of ice to his head.  
  
"Very well, Ororro, can you help Isabella pack her things, while I speak with Mr. and Mrs. Sulinski."  
  
The two went up to Isabella's room, and put her clothes and other belongings into bags, and boxes. When Isabella got to her dolls and stuffed animals, she put all of them in one bag, except one, a rag doll in which she held on to.  
  
"So, what can you do?" asked Isabella, when they were nearly done.  
  
"I am a weather witch. I can control the weather."  
  
"Cool."  
  
Ororro smiled. Ororro and Isabella put all of her things in the trunk of the car, and Ororro, Professor Xavier, and Isabella got in, and they drove to a nearby airfield, where a large black jet was awaiting them. They transferred Isabella's things from the car to the jet, then flying from Raleigh, North Carolina, to the school. A little while after they left Raleigh, Isabella fell asleep in the back seat. When they reached the school, Professor Xavier got out and went in ahead and Ororro woke up Isabella.  
  
"I'm sorry, Miss Monroe. I'm not used to having the entire backseat to myself."  
  
Ororro smiled.  
  
"Call me Storm."  
  
Isabella smiled back, and got out of the jet, with no shoes on, still in her pajamas. They unloaded all of her things and took them up to the girls' room, and settled her in, and she got dressed in a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt. Isabella looked at her watch it was seven o'clock.  
  
"I am sorry, but I must leave you here. Feel free to roam around as you please."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Isabella walked downstairs and into the TV/ Game room, and she saw them. Bobby was her best friend since she was a little girl. He half ran over to her and they hugged.  
  
"Bella! What are you doing here?" he asked.  
  
"I've come here to go to school Suga," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"You're a mutant, too?" Isabella nodded. "So, when did this happen?"  
  
"This morning."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I've missed you, Suga," she said.  
  
"And I, you."  
  
"What's your name?" asked the guy wearing sunglasses, sitting on the sofa.  
  
"Isabella. And yours?"  
  
"Scott Summers."  
  
"Well, HI! It's nice to meet you. So, do we go to school here, or what?"  
  
A gothic girl walked up to her, from a couple of girls a few feet away.  
  
"Ah'll take over from here, boys," she said, leading Isabella away. "Ah'm Rogue,"  
  
"Isabella."  
  
"That's Kitty, and this is Jubilee. We go to the local public school, Bayville High."  
  
"So, like, what can you do?" asked the one called Kitty.  
  
"I really don't know, I threw a heavy ball really far, so I guess I'm really strong, and I slipped, but didn't hit the ground, so I levitate."  
  
"You don't levitate, you fly," said the Professor.  
  
"Fly?"  
  
"Yes, Isabella, you can fly."  
  
"Oh."  
  
He chuckled.  
  
"Scott," said a girl, from behind Isabella.  
  
Scott got up and walked to her, as Isabella turned to see whom it was, but she couldn't see the girl's face, because Scott was in the way.  
  
"Who's that?" asked Isabella.  
  
"Oh, that's. Jean Grey, she stays here, too," said Rogue.  
  
Isabella fell to floor, in a dead faint. 


	2. Back From the Grave

Generation X Back from the Grave  
  
Bobby ran over, and he lifted Isabella off the floor, and onto the sofa, putting her head on Kitty's knees, and Scott ran over.  
  
"What happened?" asked the Professor.  
  
"I just told her who Jean was and she fainted," said Rogue.  
  
Jean carefully inched over, saw Isabella's face, put her hand to her mouth, and gasped.  
  
"Jean, can you--" he saw her face. "Jean?"  
  
Jean turned around and ran. Bobby gently slapped her face, and Isabella slowly opened her eyes.  
  
"What-- what happened?" asked Isabella.  
  
"You fainted," answered Bobby.  
  
"Me? Faint? Why-it-it can't be," she whispered.  
  
"What can't be?" asked Scott.  
  
"Nothing, my imagination got away with me."  
  
"That doesn't cause you to faint."  
  
"I thought someone was someone else. It's nothin'."  
  
"All right, but just in case, go get something to eat."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Bobby took Isabella to the kitchen, and they ate together, then he walked her to her room, where Rogue, Jubilee, and Kitty were waiting.  
  
"Maybe I could give you the tour tomorrow?" he suggested.  
  
"I'd like that. Good night, Bobby."  
  
She went into her room. The three girls were sitting on her bed.  
  
"So, we've heard all the rumors about you, so what's true and what's not?" said Jubilee.  
  
"Way to be blunt " said Rogue, sarcastically.  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"It's all right, well, what have you heard?" said Isabella.  
  
"That you used to date Bobby Drake," said Jubilee.  
  
"Not true, we've been friends for a long time, and we'll never be more than that."  
  
"That you threw you dad through a wall."  
  
"Not true." The looked disappointed. "I pushed him through a wall, I didn't throw him, Suga."  
  
They laughed. They talked and gossiped about everyone in school, until the three finally went to their own rooms. The next morning, she walked down the stairs, late, brushing her mid- back length dark red hair, her bright blue eyes shining, and saw Scott.  
  
"Hey, you wanna lift to school?" he asked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Isabella hopped into the car.  
  
"You feeling better?"  
  
"Well, I am kinda hungry."  
  
"They have breakfast at school."  
  
"They did that at my old school."  
  
"Where are you from?"  
  
"Raleigh, North Carolina, by way of New York City, by way of Boston, by way of Annadale-on-the-Hudson."  
  
"Ah."  
  
A few minutes later, they pulled up at Bayville High, and went inside for breakfast, then, she saw her. Isabella felt the anger rise in her face, she grabbed the closest thing to her and squeezed it, pretending it to be her head. Kitty came up behind her.  
  
"Like, c'mon, Isabella, you can sit with us."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Isabella followed her, and she sat down, across from Jean, Scott and some others.  
  
"Isabella, you know Scott, that's Kurt, that's Evan, you know Rogue, and Jubilee, and Bobby and Amara, and those down there are the Brotherhood, stay away form them," she whispered. "And there's Jean, she's the star forward on our soccer team."  
  
"We've met," growled Isabella.  
  
"Made a lasting impression, Jean?" asked a guy with silver hair at the other end with the Brotherhood.  
  
"Bite me, Pietro," Jean said.  
  
Everyone stared at her.  
  
"So, playing Commie Kickball, now, huh? Being a perfect, clean, sweet, straight freakin' A student wasn't good enough for you," hissed Isabella.  
  
"What is your problem?"  
  
"Nothing, bitch, nothing."  
  
Isabella stood up and left the cafeteria. Jean put her head in her hands.  
  
"What was that about?" asked Scott.  
  
Jean stood up.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
She left. Isabella went into the office.  
  
"May I help you?" asked the secretary.  
  
"I'm Isabella Sulinski. I'm new here."  
  
"Yes, yes, Charles Xavier called, here's your schedule, and all your things to begin your education here at Bayville High School. Would you like a Sidekick?" she asked.  
  
Isabella looked at her blankly. What the hell was a sidekick? The secretary reminded Isabella of Grace from Ferris Buller's Day Off.  
  
"A what?"  
  
"A sidekick, to show you around the premises, and to your classes."  
  
"No thanks."  
  
She probably needed one, but she declined out of worry she might get Miss Perfect.  
  
She left the office and found Rogue.  
  
"Hey, Ah see you got yer stuff," she said.  
  
"Yea, hey, could you help me out finding all my classes?"  
  
"Why didn't you get a sidekick?" Isabella looked at her, giving her the 'Why- the- hell- do- you- think?' look. "Oh."  
  
"Yea, I've had enough of her."  
  
"How do you know her?"  
  
The bell rang to tell them to get to class.  
  
"All right, first, I have Algebra II with.. Beihauser. room 312, where's that?"  
  
"Follow Scott, that's the same class as his."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Isabella saw Scott, and caught up with him.  
  
"Hey Isabella," he said, seeing her.  
  
"Hey Scott. Rumor has it, I'm in the same first period class as you."  
  
He looked at her schedule.  
  
"Yep, rumor's right, c'mon."  
  
They made their way though the crowd, trying not to get separated, or Isabella would never find the classroom. When they got there, Scott sat in the back, and Isabella looked around for an open seat. Scott pointed to the seat next to him, and Isabella went and sat next to him. She pulled out a notebook, and a pen, her calculator, and a pencil.  
  
"Thanks for lettin' me sit next to ya."  
  
"No problem. You prepare much?"  
  
"Habit."  
  
The teacher walked in, and looked over her class, noticing Isabella.  
  
"Hey! Are you supposed to be here?" she bellowed.  
  
She was a small, stout woman of forty give or take, she had pale hair and eyes.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Isabella stood and gave her the sheet telling her about the addition to her class. She went to the computer and looked at something.  
  
"Oh yeah, here ya go," said Ms. Beihauser, tossing a book to Isabella.  
  
Isabella caught it, even though she hadn't been paying much attention. Isabella sat down in her seat, and the teacher continued. The class ended and she went to second period, Chemistry. Rogue and Kurt were both in this class. The teacher was Mr. Black, he was tall, and somewhat handsome, he had to have been right out of college.  
  
"He likes to pull pranks, so be on your guard," warned Kurt.  
  
"I will, Suga. So, what's this class like? As boring as Algebra II?" asked Isabella.  
  
"I like to think not!" came an excited reply.  
  
Isabella turned around.  
  
"You must be Mr. Black."  
  
"And you must be Isabella. Come up to the front."  
  
The bell rang and everyone sat in his or her seat.  
  
"All right class. What do we say before class?"  
  
"I promise to never goof off with explosive materials and other chemicals. I promise to be careful at all times. I promise to wear my goggles and aprons during all labs. I promise to put my safety before my lab. I promise to listen to the teacher's instructions and follow them carefully," said the entire class, as though they were zombies.  
  
"Now, everyone, we have a new member of our group." He looked at Isabella. "Now, tell us a little about yourself.  
  
"Hi, I'm Isabella, and I'm an alcoholic."  
  
"Hi Isabella," most said, laughing.  
  
"I have been alcohol- free for three weeks, since I was arrested." They all laughed. "Naw, I'm kiddin' I'm Isabella Sulinski. I run Cross Country, and my favorite sport is football. I'm from Raleigh, North Carolina. Um.. What else is there to know?"  
  
"What size bra do you wear?" asked a guy in the front.  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"Please take a seat next to Chris, in the back," said Mr. Black.  
  
Isabella went and sat down. Chris was tall, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. She sat next to him, and got out her stuff for class, looking forward, at the teacher.  
  
"I'm Chris Jones."  
  
"Isabella Sulinski," she replied, not facing him.  
  
"How do you like Bayville?"  
  
"I dunno yet. I just got here yesterday. I'm staying at Xavier's institute."  
  
"Oh, then you must know Jean Grey."  
  
Isabella sighed.  
  
"Yes, I know her."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"You two don't get along, all ready?"  
  
"I've known her longer than anyone here, that's why I don't like her. It's a LONG story."  
  
"Well. Maybe you could tell me one night over dinner."  
  
Isabella laughed, still not looking at him.  
  
"I think it's a little soon to be asking me out, don't you? I mean all I know about you is that you're in my Chemistry class, and your name."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So, we need to get to know each other before we start dating."  
  
"Fine, I'll ask you later."  
  
Isabella laughed, and Rogue and Kurt looked at her, she shrugged. After that class, she looked at her schedule, and talked to Rogue. "What's the school's schedule like? Even/ Odd days, or A/B days or all classes everyday?"  
  
"Even/ Odd."  
  
"All right, so I go to fourth period, which is Drama, because I've completed three years of a language, and I never wanna see a French classroom again!"  
  
Rogue laughed.  
  
"Ah'm in Drama, and so is Kitty, she thought it would be 'cool,'" said Rogue.  
  
"All right."  
  
They walked into the Auditorium where the teacher Ms. Xander was waiting.  
  
"OH!" she said with great flamboyancy. "You must be Isabella! Welcome to our class!"  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Now, tell us about your greatest accomplishment in Drama.  
  
"Well, I didn't take it last year, but as a freshman, I put my friend Mike, who was a senior at the time, in a headlock that he couldn't get out if. It was REALLY funny. We were playing a game. The one where two people act out a scene, and then someone watching says 'Freeze' and then takes one of the two people's place, but changes the scene."  
  
"Oh yes! We've played that game!"  
  
After that class, Isabella ate lunch with Rogue and Kitty. They sat outside on bench, in the sun. Scott passed by and waved to Jean. Isabella watched Rogue's expression of disappointment.  
  
"Ask him on a date," said Isabella.  
  
Rogue looked at Isabella, thinking she had been talking to Kitty.  
  
"Huh?" she said.  
  
"Ask Scott on a date," she repeated.  
  
"What? I don't even like him!"  
  
Another girl sat with them.  
  
"Hey Rogue," she said, sitting down.  
  
"Hey Misty, this is Isabella, Isabella, this Misty."  
  
"Hey," they said at the same time.  
  
"Rogue, he needs someone before he goes insane."  
  
Rogue rolled her eyes.  
  
"He loves Jean."  
  
Isabella sighed.  
  
"Everyone loves Jean. What does he see that no one else does that makes her so special?"  
  
They three other girls looked at Isabella.  
  
"Why don't you like Jean?" asked Kitty.  
  
"Long story, I don't have enough time to tell it."  
  
Isabella sipped her water, and finished her lunch. The bell rang and they went to class. Isabella headed off to Gym, and met her teacher, Coach Granger.  
  
"Hi, I'm Isabella Sulinski."  
  
"Yea, yea, yea. Can you play football?"  
  
"Tight end is my best position."  
  
His face lit up like a Christmas tree.  
  
"We're playing today, care to join us?"  
  
"No clothes, no shoes, I got my schedule today."  
  
"Are you fast?"  
  
"I run Cross Country, but I wasn't the fastest on the team there."  
  
"Oh! You have endurance! Perfect, I believe one of the girls will have an extra pair of shoes, and socks, and here's your uniform. Do you run Track?"  
  
Isabella took the uniform and looked at it. It was a gray shirt with BHS printed across the front, and the shorts had a hawk on the bottom of the leg, and BHS on the other leg.  
  
"I used to, but I don't like runnin' around in circles."  
  
"Understandable. Do any of your girls have extra pairs of shoes or socks?" called Coach Granger. Two girls raised their hands. Jubilee was one of them. "Can this young lady borrow them?"  
  
"Sure," said Jubilee, running out of the gym with socks and shoes, the other girl hadn't moved.  
  
Jubilee gave them to Isabella.  
  
"Thanks, Jubilee."  
  
"No problem."  
  
Isabella went in and got changed, then came back out, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.  
  
"All right, Sulinski, you're tight end on the gray team. Go!"  
  
She walked over to the gray team.  
  
"I'm y'all's tight end," she said.  
  
Some of the guys raised their eyebrows, Scott included.  
  
"Really? Well, I would love to show you around school," said a blond guy, putting his arm around Isabella's shoulder.  
  
She pushed his arm off. Then he grabbed her around her waist.  
  
"Duncan, leave her alone, you have Jean-" began Scott.  
  
Isabella pushed him away from her.  
  
"Don't touch me after you've touched her, that's nasty," said Isabella.  
  
"She's over there, Isabella," said Scott, waving to Jean.  
  
Isabella looked over her shoulder, and saw her, then looked at Scott.  
  
"You're one of them. You're one of the guys who worship the ground she walks on. Focus Summers, we're playing football. I'm tight end on Offense, on Defense, I'm right guard."  
  
"Okay," said Duncan.  
  
They got in formation; the red team had the ball. After a while of playing, class was almost over, they hiked the ball to the quarterback, and then he passed it to Jean. Isabella grinned and ran after her, two- hand- touching her to the ground. Jean stood up, a little dirt on her uniform.  
  
"That's it, Isabella, now, it's on!" shouted Jean.  
  
"And it wasn't before?!" Isabella yelled back.  
  
Everyone in class had gathered around them, waiting for one of them to throw a punch.  
  
"Oh, but now, now it's far, far worse."  
  
"And before wasn't bad? Well, why did you go?" Isabella muttered  
  
"I HAD to go!"  
  
"No you didn't! "  
  
"Isabella-"  
  
"I can't do anything, can I?"  
  
"What? Of cour-"  
  
"No, I can't I can't even leave home without YOU HAUNTING ME!!!!!!"  
  
"Don't do this!"  
  
"Why not? I've waited three years. Why wait any longer?"  
  
"We'll talk about this tonight!"  
  
"Fine! What's a few hours?"  
  
Isabella turned and ran out of the circle the class had formed around them. She was crying, but she didn't want anyone to see. Scott looked from Jean to Isabella, back and forth. Duncan went to Jean, and she hugged him, crying on his shoulder. Scott ran after Isabella.  
  
"Isabella-" he called after her.  
  
"Leave me alone, Scott."  
  
"Can I do anything for you?"  
  
"Not unless you can take me to Yale."  
  
"Why Yale?"  
  
"He's the only friend I have in the state of New York."  
  
"All right, I'll take you after school."  
  
She looked at him.  
  
"You don't have to, I know you'd rather be with Jean. Everyone would."  
  
"No, Jean can wait, I'd like to get to know you."  
  
Isabella looked up at him, tears staining her face.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"All right, class! I'll see you on Friday," said Coach Granger.  
  
The entire class went in, showered and got dressed. After school, Isabella saw Scott out front. Jean was walking toward him.  
  
"Hey, Scott! Waiting for me?" she assumed.  
  
Isabella stood right behind her.  
  
"No," Jean was shocked. "I'm taking Isabella to see someone."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Jean walked away, and Isabella walked up to him.  
  
"You didn't have to do that. You could've said yes, y'know," said Isabella.  
  
"I know, but I said I'd take you to Yale, and I will."  
  
"Thanks, Scott."  
  
"You're welcome, hop in."  
  
They got in, and buckled up.  
  
"Hey Rogue!" Scott called.  
  
The Gothic southerner turned around, and approached the car.  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"Can you do me a favor? Can you tell Professor Xavier we went to Yale, and we'll be back later tonight."  
  
"All right."  
  
"Thanks Rogue," he said.  
  
"It's okay."  
  
Isabella had seen how Rogue looked at Scott, at lunch. She handed Rogue a scrap of paper, and Scott drove off. Rogue opened it, and read it. 'I'm not taking him, don't worry. I just needed someone to talk to. We'll be back later, and when we return, ASK HIM OUT!!!!!' Rogue looked in the direction they'd gone, and headed back to Xavier's.  
  
"So, what sports do you play?" Scott asked Isabella.  
  
"I run. And my favorite sport is football, but I could never play it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"My dad. He said I would never have a boyfriend if I played football."  
  
"Rough, well, at least you have your parents."  
  
"No, I'd rather not, I'd rather love them dead than hate them alive."  
  
"Well, I thought I was an only child until recently."  
  
"Yeah, I heard."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"I had Rogue, Kitty and Jubilee in my room last night, catching me up to everyone's lives."  
  
He laughed. She could see why Rogue liked him. He seemed perfect, but Isabella didn't find it appealing at all.  
  
"Well, what did you hear about me?"  
  
"You're the leader of the X-Men, you have a brother who lives in Hawaii, your parents died, saving you and your brother, and you seem to be perfect in everyway, except you're a little bossy. Have rumors begun to spread about me, yet?"  
  
He laughed.  
  
"I heard you slept with Pyro."  
  
"Pyro?."  
  
"Yes, St. John."  
  
"Oh! Well, we fell asleep watching a movie once, but we've never had sex."  
  
"Mmmmhmmm," said Scott, sarcastically.  
  
"So why don't you go after someone instead of chasing after Jean? I know of several girls all ready who'd rather have you chase them."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Can't say, she'd kill me, but I told her to ask you on a date when she sees you next."  
  
"Well-Jean-"  
  
"Is with Duncan."  
  
"I know, but-"  
  
"Just take my advice on this, Jean wants what she can't have. You being unavailable, will make her come after you, and plus, you need to get out more! This girl, she'd change everything about herself for you, and you can't see it! Just like Jean can't see the love you have for her. She's blind, you shouldn't be. If you and Jean are meant to be, y'all will get together."  
  
Scott looked at Isabella for a split second, then back to the road.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"No, she'd kill me. You have to keep your eyes open, and watch for her, and if she doesn't ask you on a date, then I'll do it for her."  
  
"You'll ask me on a date?"  
  
"For her, not me. I've all ready got a guy trying to get me to go out with him."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"You're worse than the girls. And if you must know-"  
  
"I must! I must!"  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"Chris Jones. I sit next to him in Chemistry."  
  
"Oh, he's cool."  
  
"As in he hangs with Duncan, or he's a nice guy."  
  
"Nice guy."  
  
"Good. I don't like Duncan, he's a jerk."  
  
"Yea, I know."  
  
"I don't know what Jean sees in him. I thought she was smart."  
  
Finally, they reached Yale, and the students were all over campus.  
  
"Scott, you can go ahead back, I'll find a way back."  
  
"No way! I'm not leaving you here!"  
  
"Chivalry isn't dead after all!" He sighed. "Did you just roll your eyes?"  
  
He laughed.  
  
"How could you tell?"  
  
"I couldn't I just guessed."  
  
He laughed again.  
  
"I'll wait here, walk around for a while, giving you a chance to talk, and you can come back here when you're ready."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Thanks, Scott, you saved my life."  
  
"How?"  
  
"You kept me from killing Jean and/ or myself."  
  
He looked shocked. Isabella smiled, and he relaxed.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Come on in, I want you to meet him."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"My friend, Taylor Marcus."  
  
Someone turned around, and walked toward the car, as Isabella and Scott got out.  
  
"Did you say Taylor Marcus?" the guy asked.  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"That's my roommate. I'm Alex Hamilton."  
  
"Hi, I'm Isabella Sulinski, and this is my friend Scott Summers."  
  
"Hello," said Scott.  
  
"Do you know where Taylor is now?"  
  
"Where else would he be?" asked Alex.  
  
"He's either running, or studying, or talking on the phone."  
  
Alex laughed.  
  
"You know him well, he's studying and talking on the phone, he's up in our room. C'mon, I'll show you."  
  
Isabella nodded, and they followed Alex into a building, labeled "Building D", up to the second floor, and the third door on the right. Alex walked into the room, Isabella and Scott behind him. Taylor's back was to them, and he was sitting at a desk, a large book in front of him and a phone attached to his ear. Isabella came up behind him, putting her hands over his eyes.  
  
"Hold on, Mom."  
  
He turned around.  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Marcus!" said Isabella. "Hey Taylor."  
  
He stood and hugged Isabella.  
  
"Mom, it's Isabella. I'll call you back later. I love you too, tell everyone I said hi."  
  
He hung up the phone.  
  
"How's your mom?" asked Isabella.  
  
"She's great, she's been praying for you."  
  
"Well, now's the time I need it most."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"First things first. Scott Summers, this is Taylor Marcus, Taylor this is Scott."  
  
They shook hands.  
  
"Boyfriend?"  
  
"Just friend."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Hey, Scott, why don't I introduce you to the lovely ladies of Yale," said Alex.  
  
"Will you be all right?" asked Scott, looking at Isabella.  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Yes, I'll be fine, you go have fun."  
  
Alex and Scott left, and Isabella sat next to Taylor on his bed.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Well, I have come up here to go to Xavier's Institute, and I found someone that I hadn't seen in a long time."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Jean."  
  
"But I thought-"  
  
"So did I. I got into a fight with her today, and I have no one there, so I came here."  
  
Isabella began to cry, and Taylor hugged her. They didn't know that Alex and Scott didn't go anywhere except outside the door to listen in.  
  
"It's all right. You'll be okay."  
  
"I screamed at her, and I don't know what to do. I hate her for all the years of being told that she was better than me in every way. That I was dirt and she was an angel."  
  
He hugged her and she cried there for a while, after an hour, she looked at the clock in his room.  
  
"I have to go, we have to get back. Here's the address I'm at, and my e- mail address."  
  
"And here's my e-mail address, if you need me."  
  
"All right. Tell your mom and dad I said hi. And next time you talk to the Cross Country team or football team, tell them the next time they're up here to call me and stop by for a visit."  
  
"I will."  
  
They hugged.  
  
"You take care, Taylor."  
  
"You, too, and no fighting!"  
  
"Fist fighting or arguing?"  
  
"Fist fighting, you can't live without arguing."  
  
Isabella laughed, reaching for the doorknob. She opened the door and saw Scott waiting for her.  
  
"Ready to go?" he asked.  
  
"Yea, thanks, Scott."  
  
"You're welcome. You needed it, it looks like."  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
They walked back to his car, and the drove back. 


	3. Getting Better All the time

Generation X Getting Better All the Time  
  
They pulled into the garage, and went inside where Logan, Storm, and Professor Xavier were waiting for them.  
  
"Everything all right?" asked Scott.  
  
"Where were you two?" grumbled Logan.  
  
"Didn't Rogue tell you? We went to Yale."  
  
"Yale? Why?"  
  
"I needed someone to talk to. I just got here, and the last thing any one wants is having someone else's problems dumped on them when the first meet the person," said Isabella.  
  
"And why did you go, Scott?" asked Storm.  
  
"I asked if there was anything I could do when she got into a fight with Jean today, and she said take her to Yale, she was joking, but I said I would."  
  
"Jean was upset today after school," said the Professor.  
  
"That's my fault. I blew up in her face, cooped up anger from years and years of hearing about how Jean was perfect, and how Ah wasn't," said Isabella.  
  
"Are you better now?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
He smiled.  
  
"You can talk to anyone here, and they would understand and help. That's why we're here, to help, and receive help."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Thank you, Professor."  
  
"Now, you two go in and get some dinner, there are two plates in the microwave in the kitchen for you."  
  
"Thank you, the kitchen is this way," said Scott, pulling Isabella behind him.  
  
"Why do they do that, Charles?" asked Logan.  
  
"What?" replied the Professor.  
  
"Have to go to someone else instead of those who are here to help."  
  
"She doesn't trust us yet. She has no trust for anyone unless she's known him or her for quite some time. She won't learn to trust us until we earn it, in her eyes."  
  
In the kitchen, Isabella was pulling the aluminum foil off of Scott's plate.  
  
"You have to take the foil OFF before placing it in the microwave."  
  
She put the plate in the microwave, put a paper towel over it, then turned on the microwave.  
  
"Oh," said Scott.  
  
"C'mon am I the only one with common sense? Who cooks?"  
  
"Storm."  
  
"Okay, Are Storm and I the only one's with common cooking sense?"  
  
"Yep, no one else can cook."  
  
"Well, I might have to just help out in the kitchen, cooking and writing, the only two things I'm good at."  
  
"Football," said Scott.  
  
"Not really. I can hit hard, but that's because I've had to learn to protect myself, and I'm strong because of my mutation."  
  
After they ate, they went to their rooms to do their homework. After that, Isabella grabbed a towel, and her shower stuff, and headed to the bathroom. She managed to get in just as Kitty came out of the bathroom. Isabella turned on the water, and made sure it was hot. She drew a bath for herself. Once it was ready, she turned off the water, and got in, pulling the curtain closed. She sat there for a while, then realized there were probably others waiting, so she washed her hair, and just as she was washing it out, someone knocked on the door.  
  
"I'm hurrying."  
  
"No, it's me, Kitty, can I, like, come in?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
She heard Kitty's footsteps, but the door didn't open or shut. Isabella looked around the curtain, and saw Kitty sitting on the chair meant for clothes and things instead of throwing them on the floor. Isabella was confused.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Kitty.  
  
"How did you-the door didn't open-"  
  
"Oh! That! I can walk through walls, that's why they call me Shadowcat."  
  
"Oh."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"So, how was your frist day in Bayville?"  
  
"I think I might need a longer bath."  
  
She giggled.  
  
"Yea, especially with the whole Jean thing."  
  
Isabella washed her hair out, then put conditioner in her hair.  
  
"What did she say?"  
  
"Nothing, we only know what we've heard."  
  
"And that is.?"  
  
"Nothing really, just that you don't like her, and no one knows why."  
  
"Kitty, Jean's my sister. Did you see that rag doll I had last night?"  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"It was my sister's. That's why I fainted when Rogue told me Jean Grey went here. The doll's name is Jean Grey. My mother named it Jean Grey, because my sister had named it Jean, and we'd have to specify which one we wanted. Jean, my sister, loved the Grey Poupon commercials, and the doll's dress was always gray after one week with my sister, so my mom named the doll Jean Grey."  
  
"Okay?"  
  
Kitty didn't follow.  
  
"Jean is my sister, she faked her own death to confuse us after she became a mutant." Isabella finished her bath, and Kitty left the room, letting Isabella dry off. Isabella wrapped the towel around her, and came out of the bathroom. "I was the only one who knew, because I saw her powers surface. She'd had a fight with our parents, and she went up to her room. I went in to talk to her, and everything was floating in the air. I went back to my room and never told anyone. The hospital lost her body, saying she had gotten mixed up in a shipment to the local med school, and I didn't want to go lookin'. I was in charge of all the funeral arrangements and everything, and after the funeral, all the focus went from her virtues and talents, to my faults, and that's why all my anger was turned towards Jean. Years of pent up anger. Never good."  
  
"I'm so sorry."  
  
Isabella went into her room, changed, then Kitty came in and they talked. Around 9:15, someone knocked on Isabella's door.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Jean walked in. Isabella and Jean stared at each other for a few minutes, then Jean looked away.  
  
"Um. I'll see you later, Isabella," said Kitty, leaving.  
  
"Later, Kitty."  
  
Jean shifted uncomfortably, and then sat next to Isabella.  
  
"Scott's nice," said Jean.  
  
"Yea, he is."  
  
"So, Rogue says you went to Yale."  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I needed someone to talk to."  
  
"You can always talk to the Professor, or Storm, or anyone here."  
  
"Well, they don't know me, and I don't know them. And the last thing I want to do is dump all my problems on everyone who loves you."  
  
"I'm sorry, Isabella."  
  
"You didn't have to leave. I never told anyone."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I saw your powers emerge. I went in to talk to you, and everything was floating in the air. I went back to my room and never told anyone."  
  
"You-you knew?"  
  
"Yes, I was scared, I didn't know what to do, so I kept quiet. I could have told everyone, but I didn't!"  
  
"I-"  
  
Jean stood up, and walked out to leave.  
  
"As soon as I get the hang of my powers I'll be out of your hair. I can't just leave now when I can't even control myself, so I'll stay out of your life, and after I've gotten control, you'll never see me again."  
  
Jean walked out the door, crying, and so was Isabella. Isabella turned on her radio, and listened to music, singing, in the dark, until someone came in and turned on the light. Isabella was sitting on her bed, crying, in a little ball.  
  
"Isabella." Isabella looked up, it was Storm. "Are you all right?"  
  
Isabella nodded.  
  
"'M fine."  
  
"You don't look fine, and neither does your sister."  
  
Isabella looked up.  
  
"So everyone knows?"  
  
"No, only Charles, Logan, Jean and I and anyone else you told."  
  
"Kitty."  
  
Storm came over and sat next to Isabella, hugging her, and letting Isabella cry.  
  
"You will come to love your sister, or at least, not hate her."  
  
"I don't know, all those years, and now, all you love her, and after today, my first day here, I'm a brat. I even took one of her boy toys on a road trip. I didn't know I would be a bad influence immediately upon arrival."  
  
Storm laughed.  
  
"You aren't a brat. You have every reason to be angry, and you're not a bad influence, we were just a little worried, that's all."  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't know it would take that long to Yale and back."  
  
"That's quite all right, just tell us directly, first."  
  
"Didn't Rogue tell you?"  
  
"She mumbled something about you and Scott, and gone somewhere, but that's all anyone caught. So, what did you two talk about on the way there?"  
  
"Nothing really, we got to know each other, that's about it."  
  
"Well, Scott's down stairs deep in conversation with Rogue, who's not much of a conversationalist."  
  
"Oh, and that. I told her to ask him out, because she likes him, and he's chasing Jean, so I told him to wake up, date around, and if he and Jean are meant to be, they will be."  
  
"Well, I think your pep talk worked."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Storm nodded.  
  
"I'll show you."  
  
They left Isabella's room, and walked down the stairs to the library, cracked the door a little and watched. Scott and Rogue were talking, laughing and flirting.  
  
"What are you two doing?" asked Logan, from behind them.  
  
They jumped, closed the door, and faced him.  
  
"Nothing," said Isabella.  
  
He looked from one to the other.  
  
"Storm, stop encouraging them to spy on one another."  
  
"I'm not, that was Isabella's influence on the students, after one day."  
  
Logan took a peek, then looked at Isabella, who was grinning.  
  
"Charles is gonna have a time with you."  
  
Isabella was a little taken aback, she bit her lip and looked to Storm, who smiled. Logan walked down the hall, laughing at the two of them.  
  
"Well, I won't convince anyone to anything they don't wanna do deep, deep, deep, deep down."  
  
"Why so deep?"  
  
"Because most of the time, they don't know they want to."  
  
Storm smiled.  
  
"Hey Isabella, hey Auntie O," said Even, walking past.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hello, Evan, what are you doing?" asked Storm.  
  
"Nothing, just walking," said Evan.  
  
Storm raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I will see you later, Isabella. Right now, I must speak with my nephew."  
  
Isabella nodded and walked to the TV/Game room, she sat down on the far end of the sofa, and watched TV, until Professor Xavier called them out into the entrance hall. There were three guys standing there. Isabella looked around, and saw that most of her new housemates were about to attack the three newcomers. Isabella looked at the red- head in the middle.  
  
"St. John?" she said.  
  
He looked at her, then grinned.  
  
"Bella!"  
  
She ran past Bobby, jumped into St. John's arms, her legs around his waist, and he spun her around.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Magneto's goin' away and he's stickin' us here til he comes back. How'd you get out of jail?"  
  
Isabella covered his mouth.  
  
"Shut up, stupid, no one knows about that," she whispered.  
  
He laughed.  
  
"Sorry. I didn't know that you were a mutant."  
  
"I just found out, you never told me you were-"  
  
"Would you have told me?"  
  
"No, not really."  
  
The two noticed everyone staring at them, shocked.  
  
"We knew each other in New York," St. John informed them.  
  
Isabella stood on her own two feet, and they stopped hugging.  
  
"So, how have you been?"  
  
"All right, I'm so much better now," he said.  
  
He kissed her.  
  
"You know you can't do that any more, Suga," said Isabella.  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Do you remember that night at ALL?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"I don't either, but I remember one part. We agreed to be JUST FRIENDS."  
  
"No we didn't."  
  
"Are you doubting my memory?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"I said that before we'd even started."  
  
"Oh yeah! I remember now!"  
  
Isabella laughed. Professor Xavier explained that St. John, Remy, and Pitor would be staying with them for a while until Magneto returned. Then, everyone returned to what they were doing, and St. John and Remy joined Isabella in searching for a game. Kurt popped up next to her, scaring her.  
  
"Sorry," he said.  
  
"It's okay, just give me a little more warning."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Wanna play a game?"  
  
"Sure, vhat game?"  
  
Isabella looked through the games, and found one.  
  
"Mexican Train Dominoes. My grandparents got me hooked on this game. We need at least four people."  
  
"Like, I'll play," said Kitty.  
  
"Me too," said Bobby.  
  
"Anyone else?"  
  
Jean walked in.  
  
"Hey Jean, come play with us," said Kitty.  
  
Jean looked at Isabella, who motioned to an empty seat. Jean smiled and sat down.  
  
"All right. First, everyone must choose, fifteen tiles, and one small train." They all did so. "First, does anyone have the double twelve, the highest number?"  
  
"I do," said Kitty.  
  
"All right, put it on this tray there are nine slots in this thing, one for the double twelve, and others for our own little trains of dominoes. If you have two twelves, you can use one to start your own train, and the other to start a community, on which everyone can play. For example, if I put down a domino with a twelve on one end, and a two on the other end, and say. Jean has the double two, she can put it sideways and then make another play, and say it's to her own train, and not to the double two, then the next two people HAVE to put down a two, and if you don't have a play, pick one up from the pile, and if you can't do anything with that, you have to put your little train on your personal train of dominoes, and everyone can play, when you play on your own, then you can take the train down, and only you can play on it again. Any questions?"  
  
"How do we decide who goes first?" asked Bobby.  
  
"Whoever has the domino we start out with, this time it's Kitty, and since she's on my right, I'm next then St. John, then Remy, then Kurt, then Jean, then you, Bobby."  
  
"All right."  
  
Kitty put the double twelve down, and then a twelve on one side and a three one the other. Isabella put her twelve/ten down.  
  
"Oh! And one other thing, you want to get rid of all your dominoes because you want the lowest amount of dominoes with few dots as possible."  
  
They played for a while, Isabella winning one, Bobby winning one, Kurt winning two, and Kitty, St. John, Remy and Jean had not won any.  
  
"Hey, you know, we're only a few hours from Pittsburgh, we could go visit everyone," suggested Jean.  
  
"Oh, yeah, that would go over well. Aunt Dani! Uncle Donald! Hey! Oh, by the way, I'm not dead, and both Isabella and I are mutants!" said Isabella.  
  
The others laughed. Jean and Isabella looked at each other and laughed.  
  
"On second thought, we'd better not."  
  
"Good, Sam and Carl are intensely annoying."  
  
"Intensely? That bad huh?"  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
They played until Kurt won. They played until they got down to the double sevens and Professor Xavier said they had to go to bed. They put the game away, and went to bed. The next morning, Isabella brushed her hair, her teeth, put on her makeup, put on a pair of baggy, black jeans and a red tank top, and ran down the stairs, tripping. She landed mid- air, and everyone stared at her.  
  
"I'm glad that I did that here and not at school," said Isabella, still floating.  
  
"Morning Isabella, get a hang of your powers all ready?" asked Jubilee, sleepily.  
  
"No! I'm stuck. I can't get down!"  
  
Isabella was now upside down, and still floating. Then, she fell, and someone caught her.  
  
"Good thing I walked by," said Logan.  
  
"My hero!" she said, swooning, she hugged him.  
  
Those around them laughed. He put her down.  
  
"Hey, Isabella, you need a ride?" asked Kitty.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because Chris Jones is sitting outside waiting for you."  
  
She looked outside and there he was, leaning against a blue Mustang convertible, holding a red rose. She grabbed her bag, and walked out of the door. Scott pulled his car around, and Rogue hopped in. Rogue smiled at Isabella, and Isabella smiled back. Scott waved, and Isabella waved back.  
  
"Hey, Isabella," said Chris, handing her the rose.  
  
She took it.  
  
"Thank you. How are you?"  
  
"I'm better now that I've seen you this morning. Would you like a ride to school this morning?"  
  
She smiled.  
  
"I'd like that very much, thank you."  
  
He opened the car door for her, and she got in, putting her bag at her feet. He got into the car, and drove off.  
  
"How about some breakfast?"  
  
"Won't we be late for school?"  
  
He looked at her, then back at the road.  
  
"Wanna take a chance?"  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"All right, La Café du Paris, it is then."  
  
"Chris, that's a French restaurant."  
  
"So it is!"  
  
She laughed.  
  
"Why are you taking me to a French Restaurant for breakfast?"  
  
"Because you wouldn't let me take you for dinner."  
  
She laughed, as he pulled up in front of it.  
  
"They're closed."  
  
"Not for me."  
  
He got out of the car, and ran around to open the door and help Isabella out. She smiled. He opened the door.  
  
"Monsieur Jones! How may I help you?" asked the waiter.  
  
"Well, Phillip, the lady and I are hungry for some breakfast."  
  
"Zis way, s'il vous plaît," said Phillip showing them to their seats.  
  
Chris pulled Isabella's chair out for her, she sat down, and he pushed her chair in.  
  
"Thank you," said Isabella.  
  
The waiter handed them menus, and brought them orange juice in wine glasses.  
  
"What are you gonna get?" asked Isabella.  
  
"Hmm. the strawberry bread sounds good."  
  
"It does, I might have to get that too."  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Le pain au fraise, deux, s'il vous plaît."  
  
"Oui, Monsieur."  
  
The waiter took the menus and left. Chris smiled at Isabella.  
  
"What?" she said, suspiciously.  
  
"You're so beautiful."  
  
"I just met you yesterday, how do you know that I'm beautiful? I believe beauty is on the inside, not outside, so how do you know?"  
  
"Do you believe in love at first sight?"  
  
"No. I believe the first sight gets you started, but after that, it's up to you and God."  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Well, let the first sight get started. Favorite movie?"  
  
"Armageddon and Robin Hood Men in Tights. And yours?"  
  
He laughed.  
  
"Fast and the Furious. Favorite Song?"  
  
"Evanescence Bring Me to Life. Yours?"  
  
"No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn."  
  
"Beastie Boys, nice."  
  
"Favorite book?"  
  
"Harry Potter, and Ella Enchanted."  
  
"I like Harry Potter, too."  
  
"Favorite food?"  
  
"Pizza."  
  
"Mine is spaghetti and Wedding soup."  
  
"What's Wedding soup?"  
  
"It's chicken noodle soup with meatballs, spinach and other stuff. My grandmother makes it."  
  
"What's your favorite drink?"  
  
"Mountain Dew. The effects are similar to alcohol when taken in large doses."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"Memory loss?"  
  
The waiter brought out the food.  
  
"Brain loss."  
  
He laughed. They ate, and talked some more. When they finished, he paid and they went to school. They pulled up and got to school and they slipped into their classrooms just before the late bell. Isabella took her seat next to Scott, as the teacher entered.  
  
"Where were you at breakfast?" asked Scott.  
  
"Chris took me to La Café du Paris."  
  
"For breakfast? Why?"  
  
"He said that he was takin' me there for breakfast, cuz I wouldn't let him take me there for dinner. Did you get asked out?"  
  
Ms. Beihauser realized she had a class, and began to teach, instead of staring at her coffee machine. Scott passed Isabella a note.  
  
'No.'  
  
'Oh, well, I heard something about you in the library last night.'  
  
'Yea, well, I asked Rogue out tomorrow night. It WAS Rogue, right?'  
  
'You know? You are a bright child!'  
  
He tried to hold in his laughter, luckily, Isabella was the only one who saw.  
  
"Who can tell me what the Pythagorean Theorem is?" asked Ms. Beihauser.  
  
Isabella raised her hand, and Ms. Beihauser pointed to her.  
  
"A2+B2=C2"  
  
"Very good."  
  
'Thanks, Isabella for hooking us up.'  
  
'NP, babe, any time.'  
  
Scott shoved the note in his pocket so Ms. Beihauser wouldn't catch them. After that class, she went to third period, Chorus, with Mrs. Lang, a small Asian woman about thirty, at the oldest.  
  
"What do you sing?"  
  
"Second Soprano."  
  
"Can you sing for me?"  
  
"What song?"  
  
"Marry Had A Little Lamb."  
  
She sang it with her mix of Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Jo Dee Messina and Mariah Carey voice.  
  
"Bravo! Bravo! You're in that section, the one on my right, and sit in the middle because you're somewhat tall."  
  
Isabella worked her way in and sat next to a girl with brown hair.  
  
"I'm Isabella."  
  
"I'm Meagan. Where'd you move from?"  
  
"Raleigh, North Carolina."  
  
"Man, that's a tough move."  
  
"Yea, but I've got a friend at Yale, so it's not too bad."  
  
"That's good."  
  
"So, what are we singin'?"  
  
"Friends, we're singing it for the seniors on senior night in a month."  
  
"Isabella, do you know the words?"  
  
"Is it the one that goes 'And friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of the- hem and a friend will not say never, 'cause the welcome will not e-hend.'"  
  
"Yes that's it! All right one. two. three."  
  
She played the song on the piano, as everyone sang it. Isabella saw a flash of red hair. She looked over and saw Jean. Jean was looking over at Isabella, and when they caught each other's eyes, they faced front again. They finished the song, and Mrs. Lang looked thoughtful.  
  
"Isabella, Jean, come down here a minute. I think I may make your solo a duet," she said to Jean.  
  
She played the song on the piano.  
  
"And friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of the- hem and a friend will not say never, 'cause the welcome will not e-hend, but its hard to let you go, in the Father's hands we know that a lifetime's not too long. to live as friends..." they sang together Jean's soprano voice, and Isabella's second soprano voice.  
  
"I think with your voice and your voice, we might have the next divas."  
  
"B-" began Jean, but she changed her mind.  
  
"Sorry to steal your thunder," muttered Isabella, passing Jean on her way beck to her seat.  
  
They sang the rest of class, and after class she found Rogue.  
  
"Hey, where's Mrs. Spaniel's History class?"  
  
"Follow Kitty and Lance, they have her next."  
  
"Okay, now where are they-Kitty! Lance!"  
  
They turned around and made their way toward Rogue and Isabella.  
  
"Hey Isabella, I wanna thank you," said Rogue.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Scott asked me out last night."  
  
"I heard."  
  
"Who told you?"  
  
"Scott."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'll see you at lunch!" said Isabella, walking away with Lance and Kitty.  
  
Isabella sat behind Evan, next to Lance, and diagonal from Kitty. Mrs. Spaniel entered the classroom.  
  
"The bird's back from her nest," whispered Evan.  
  
Isabella had to suppress her laughter.  
  
"She may have flown in on her broom," said Lance.  
  
Mrs. Spaniel had a nose that somewhat resembled a beak, or an evil witch's nose, short blonde hair, and dark eyes.  
  
"If she looks into our eyes, we won't turn into stone, will we?" asked Isabella.  
  
"I don't know, but I wouldn't take that chance," said Kitty.  
  
Mrs. Spaniel looked up at Isabella.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Isabella Sulinski."  
  
"Oh yeah. Here's your book."  
  
She passed a book back to Isabella and then she lectured the whole class, Lance slept, Isabella tried not to, and Evan and Kitty pretended to pay attention.  
  
"Now! Who can tell me where the Revolutionary War started?"  
  
Isabella wrote a note to Evan, Kitty, and Lance, who had now woken up at her shrill voice. 'it stared up her ass.' They all had to keep their laughter internal. The teacher's pet raised his hand, then Isabella raised her hand.  
  
"There's an answer from the peanut gallery back there? Well, Miss Sulinski, where did the Revolutionary War start?"  
  
"Lexington and Concord, officially." (A/N: Is that right?)  
  
"Very good."  
  
They went back to writing on the note. When the class was finally over they laughed about Isabella's comments to the note, then went to lunch. Isabella sat with Kitty, Lance, Evan and Kurt outside in the courtyard, waiting for Scott, Rogue, and Jean.  
  
"And THEN! She stole my solo, now Mrs. Lang made it a duet," said Jean, facing Scott and Rogue, not seeing Isabella behind her.  
  
"Well, I didn't CHOSE to!" said Isabella, angrily.  
  
Jean spun around, shock on her face.  
  
"Bella-"  
  
"Don't you EVER call, me that!"  
  
Isabella grabbed her lunch, and walked away. Kitty looked at Jean.  
  
"You need to, like, give her a break, she's new, and we're like the only friends she has! I TOTALLY remember being new. And having you back in her life, that, like, makes everything worse," said Kitty, standing up.  
  
She walked over to Isabella, who was now sitting under a tree, trying not to cry. Lance stood up and followed her.  
  
"I wouldn't come over here if I were you, Kitty. You might loose the favor of the Queen," said Isabella.  
  
"Don't let her bug you," said Lance. "She's not worth it. She may be perfect, but that just means she is unstable, you have nothing to worry about. You ignore her, and she'll leave you alone. However hard that may be, if you don't give the attention she needs, then you'll win."  
  
Kitty and Isabella both stared at Lance, then Isabella nodded.  
  
"You're right. I'm not gonna let her keep me away from ALL of my new friends."  
  
Kitty smiled, and they went back to their group. Isabella ignored Jean all of lunch.  
  
"You, like, have to watch out for Mrs. Spaniel, she can be real mean. Just stay under the radar, and you'll totally be fine," said Kitty.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"That was funny in history, the Revolutionary war-" Lance broke off in laughter.  
  
"Well, it looks like it did. That look on her face like there's something smelly around."  
  
"Yea, she does have that look," said Evan, laughing.  
  
"Lance, can I ask you a question?" asked Isabella, seriously.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"How come you live with the Brotherhood but here at school you hang around us, when it's common knowledge that y'all don't like us."  
  
All of them looked at him.  
  
"I invited him to hang out with us," said Kitty.  
  
"Oh, okay, I was just curious."  
  
Isabella went back to eating. Jean muttered something under her breath. Isabella closed her eyes and breathed deeply, to control her temper.  
  
"That wasn't necessary," said Rogue.  
  
"I told you that I would go, Jean. As soon as I could, and I will," whispered Isabella, standing up to throw her trash away.  
  
They all looked from Isabella to Jean, and back.  
  
"What does she mean she's goin'?" asked Rogue.  
  
"She said she'd leave as soon as she was under control," said Jean, putting emphasis on 'under control.'  
  
Isabella sat back down and they all stared at her.  
  
"What? I can't stay any longer 'n 'at. I'll prolly just go back to NYC and find Misty. Tony's prolly in prison, so, I'll see if she still lives in her apartment."  
  
"Who's Misty?" asked Evan.  
  
"My friend from NYC, last November I went to NYC. I met this guy named Tony, and. I really don't wanna tell y'all until I know y'all better and vice- versa."  
  
"Oh, man," said Kurt.  
  
"I really don't wanna tell you stuff to scare you away."  
  
"Well, whether you wait or tell us now, we'll probably be 'scared away' anyway," said Jean.  
  
"I don't care what effect it has on you. If it scares you away, good!"  
  
Scott sighed at the two girls. The bell rang for their next class. She went to English with Kurt. Chris walked in and sat behind Isabella, without her seeing him. The teacher was Mr. Moore. He walked in, and saw Isabella.  
  
"Well! You must be Isabella! Welcome to Bayville High!" he said.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Mr. Moore was an older man, bald, but a moustache, and he was very short. Chris put his arms around Isabella. She jumped, and turned around.  
  
"Hey Chris," she said.  
  
"Hello."  
  
He put his chin on her shoulder and class began. They were discussing A Midsummer Night's Dream. At the end of class, Chris looked at Isabella.  
  
"Where were you planning to go this afternoon?" he asked, walking her down the hall.  
  
"No where in particular."  
  
"Hey Isabella! You wanna go hang out with us this afternoon?" called Kitty.  
  
"Now, I have plans."  
  
"All right, well, I'll pick you up before school tomorrow."  
  
"Maybe," she said, walking away.  
  
She walked up to Kitty, and they walked to the local 'hang spot' where Scott, Rogue, Kurt, Evan, Jubilee, Bobby, and a few others from Xavier's were waiting.  
  
"We're here!" said Kitty.  
  
They sat down, and Isabella and Kitty got water.  
  
"So, how do you like Bayville High?" asked Scott.  
  
"It's all right. Not too bad. Cool teachers, nice people."  
  
Kitty smiles.  
  
"Has Chris asked you out yet?" asked Kitty.  
  
"No, I won't even let him ask me to dinner."  
  
"Why not?" asked Jubilee.  
  
"We just met."  
  
"So?"  
  
Isabella laughed. After a few hours of talking, they went back to Xavier's. Isabella immediately changed for a session to learn to control her powers. She met Professor Xavier, Logan and Storm in one of the lower level rooms. Scott, Rogue, Kurt, and Kitty came to support her.  
  
"All right, I'm ready," said Isabella.  
  
"Good. First, we will work on flying. Storm will first lift you into the air, and you must try to stay up," said the Professor.  
  
"Are you sure about this?"  
  
"If you fall, I'll catch ya," said Logan.  
  
"All right," she said slowly.  
  
Storm put her hands out toward Isabella, and then upwards. Isabella felt the winds pulling her up off of the grounds. Isabella pictured herself flying. The winds stopped, but Isabella kept going, for a minute, then she fell. Logan caught her.  
  
"Gotcha, Short Cake."  
  
"My hero! Twice in one day! You must really like me, huh?" asked Isabella, winking and elbowing him a little. Then he dropped her. She landed on the floor, and he stepped over her. "I was joking."  
  
They continued trying to keep her in the air for a couple hours until both Isabella and Storm were worn out.  
  
"We made progress. The last couple of tries to managed to stay up for a few minutes, then you floated down instead of falling," said Professor Xavier.  
  
Isabella smiled.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really. Now, we will work on your strength. You have to hit this dummy until we get you down to able to a regular slap, instead of sending the dummy flying backward. First hit the dummy as hard as you can."  
  
Isabella thought of Jean and her father comparing her to Jean. She punched the dummy so hard it flew across the room, and left a hole in the wall, and a dent in the wall in the next room.  
  
"Oops, sorry."  
  
"Quite all right."  
  
Kurt transported into the other room, held on to the dummy, and transported back.  
  
"Dat was one hard punch," said Kurt. "I love you Isabella, please don't ever get mad at me!"  
  
He smiled at her. She smiled back.  
  
"Now, Isabella, try hitting it a little softer."  
  
She did it again, but it barely made it though the wall.  
  
"Oops."  
  
She had to hit it softer and softer and softer until she was barely touching the dummy, but moving it back a few inches.  
  
"Very good, Isabella, that's all for today. We shall continue to work on it until you can be able to shake someone's hand without breaking it."  
  
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Professor Xavier smiled. "OH! The Professor made a funny!"  
  
Isabella laughed, getting it.  
  
"You have to have a sense of humor when helping young mutants. Without it, it's just work, without a point."  
  
Isabella smiled and hugged Professor Xavier.  
  
"Thank you, Professor."  
  
Then she ran up and got a shower. She worked on controlling her powers day after day, but she couldn't completely control herself. She wasn't the most graceful person in the world, but every time she'd trip, she'd float. Her relationship with Chris was heating up, now that she could hug him and not break him in two.  
  
"Are you goin to prom?" he asked her, one night, at the doorstep of Xavier's Institute.  
  
"Probably not," said Isabella, shaking her head.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because no one's asked me yet. There's this guy in my history class who I wouldn't mind going with," said Isabella, looking up at the stars.  
  
Chris looked at her, and saw she was trying not to grin. He tickled her and she screamed, and laughed.  
  
"Oh really?" he asked, still tickling her, and she couldn't stop laughing.  
  
She laughed and he stopped, she looked at him  
  
"I was kidding."  
  
"I know, will you go with me?"  
  
She kissed him, and backed into the Institute.  
  
"I'll think about it."  
  
She went inside and closed the door, going up to her room. Rogue, Kitty, and Jubilee were sitting on her bed.  
  
"So?" asked Jubilee.  
  
"Did he ask you?" asked Kitty.  
  
"Ask me what?" asked Isabella, brushing her hair.  
  
"To prom!" said Kitty and Jubilee.  
  
Isabella looked at Rogue.  
  
"You don't seem as enthusiastic to know about tonight's events," said Isabella, laughing.  
  
"I can take it or leave it," said Rogue.  
  
Isabella smiled.  
  
"Yes, he asked me."  
  
"And you said." said Jubilee.  
  
"She said yes, of course!" Kitty looked at Isabella, "Didn't you?"  
  
Isabella grabbed her pajamas and went into the bathroom to change. She came back, and sat on her bad.  
  
"I said maybe."  
  
"Why?" asked Rogue.  
  
"To play with him, he knows I'm going to say yes, but he thinks I'm just playin' hard to get, and it's fun, t' tell you the truth."  
  
They laughed.  
  
"We have to go shopping for dresses!" said Kitty.  
  
"We need dates first," said Rogue.  
  
"No problem, I know of a few guys who'd love to ask you. Jubi, Kitty, y'all have dates, right?"  
  
The two nodded.  
  
"I'm the only one who doesn't," said Rogue.  
  
"As I said before, no problem. Now go to bed." 


	4. Sibling Rivalry

Generation X  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Hey, Summers," Isabella called, chasing after him.  
  
He turned around.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Hey, you asked anyone to the prom, yet?"  
  
"No, I was gonna ask Rogue, though, but she'd say-"  
  
"She'd say yes, now go ask her, now!"  
  
Scott looked a little taken aback.  
  
"If you don't, someone else will, and you won't have a date to prom."  
  
"All right."  
  
She smiled, as he walked away, and he saw Rogue. He walked toward her and Isabella grinned.  
  
"Am I good or what?" she said to herself.  
  
"I dunno. I think you're pretty good."  
  
Isabella turned around, saw who it was, and smiled.  
  
"Hey Chris."  
  
He pulled her to him and kissed her.  
  
"Are you ever going to answer me directly?"  
  
"Nope, but I will say yes to the last question."  
  
"Wait, no you won't answer me directly, or yes you will?"  
  
"No, I will not answer you directly, yes I will go to prom with you."  
  
He laughed at her.  
  
"That's why I love you."  
  
He kissed her again.  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"You are so, independent and spontaneous, and unpredictable, and. I don't know there's just something about you that makes me want to hold you and never let go."  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"I don't know, either."  
  
Dark clouds crossed the sky, and rain poured down. Everyone ran to the doors, and Chris began to pull Isabella, who grinned. The music still played over the speakers.  
  
"What are you doing, Isabella?"  
  
"C'mon, Suga, dance with me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Right here, in the Quad, in the rain."  
  
He shook his head, smiling, and let her pull him into the middle of the Quad and he let her pull him around in the rain. The bell rang, ending lunch, and they went inside, soaking wet, and laughing. Scott, Rogue, Jean, and Kurt walked up to them.  
  
"What were you doing out there?" demanded Jean.  
  
Isabella saluted her and kept walking. Scott shook his head, Kurt laughed, and Rogue watched after her, a smile flitting across her face. No one before her had questioned the princess, much less ignored her.  
  
"I wonder what they were doing," said Kurt.  
  
"Dancing," said Rogue.  
  
"What?" said Scott, looking at the Goth standing next to him.  
  
"Didn't you see them? She got him to dance in the rain with her. I, personally, think she's crazy."  
  
"I know she is," grumbled Jean.  
  
"I think something happened in her past, that scarred her, forever," said Amara, coming up behind the four of them.  
  
Jean snorted.  
  
"Ha! Doubt it! She was SO sheltered! She doesn't know was a scar is," said Jean, facing them.  
  
"How do you know? I think she's seen and done more than you think," said Rogue, turning to head to class.  
  
That afternoon, back at the Institute, they had a session.  
  
"Rogue, look out!" called Kitty.  
  
The floating machine faced Rogue. Isabella flew toward her, and picked her up be her arms, just in time to dodge the orange paintball.  
  
"Thanks, Isabella," said Rogue.  
  
"No prob, let's keep going!" Spyke! Heads up!"  
  
Spyke dodged the paintball, as one went through Kitty, and got Bobby. Isabella picked him up over her shoulder, and they kept going. Isabella was bringing up the rear with Bobby. She floated up a few feet, and was about to step onto the platform when the buzzer rang.  
  
"Times up," came Logan's voice.  
  
"What? We were all there!" complained Isabella.  
  
"No one pushed the button."  
  
"Well why the Hell not?"  
  
"Who was standing next to it?" asked Scott.  
  
"Isabella wasn't on the platform," said Jean.  
  
"But both Bobby and I were there!" said Isabella.  
  
"But you weren't on the platform!"  
  
"JEAN! WE WERE TOLD TO BE THERE! NOT SPECIFICALLY TO BE ON THE PLATFORM, YOU SHOULD HAVE PUSHED THE DAMN BUTTON!"  
  
Isabella turned on her heel and stormed off, she went up into her room, and turned on her music, got into the shower, then went back to her room, got dressed, then did her homework. There was a knock on her door.  
  
"Isabella?" said Rogue through the door.  
  
"Come on in, Rogue."  
  
Rogue came in.  
  
"Are you all right? You and Jean have been goin' at it more than usual."  
  
"She's just being a pain in the ass, well, in my ass. I'm leaving later this summer, I've got other places to be."  
  
"Like where?"  
  
"I don't know. Anywhere. I'm thinking about going back to NYC, find Misty, chill there, maybe go back for my last year of high school, then go to college. I might just see if I can stay with some friends of mine, finish school, then leave, I just don't know. Jean has driven me to the extreme, and I can't take it. Did Scott ask you to prom?"  
  
"No, he didn't get a chance, the princess intercepted him, and she got him to ask her."  
  
Isabella shrugged.  
  
"Oh well, everything happens for a reason."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"I know so. I think that Remy guy wants to ask you. Did you see? They're shackin' up with us again."  
  
Rogue laughed.  
  
"I doubt it, and plus, I can't touch 'im anyway."  
  
"So? He knows that. You need to let loose once in a while."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
There was another knock on her door.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Ororro entered the room, she looked at Rogue, who nodded and left.  
  
"Are you all right, Isabella? You and Jean have been going at it a lot more than usual," said the weather witch.  
  
"I don't know, she's just being a pain. I'm leaving as soon as I can fall without floating twenty feet in the air, and I can hug people gently. She was here first, I'll leave as soon as I can."  
  
"But, why? We want you to be a part of the X-men."  
  
"And I want to be a part of it, too, but I can't, not with Jean here. My sister and I got along fine until she supposedly died, then turned up alive. Things like that kinda put a damper on a relationship."  
  
Ororro nodded.  
  
"She is threatened by you. You have come here, disrupted her world, become friends with her friends, and you are different than her. You don't care about anything, you don't mind being what you are. I believe, that Jean wishes to be normal, even though she will not admit it. You came in here, and told Scott to ask Rogue to be his girlfriend, and you took him to Yale. She feels that you are trying to take over her life."  
  
Isabella laughed, hollowly.  
  
"I don't want to be her, I'm fine being me, thanks. I really don't want to be an uptight spinster at eighteen. I like being free from things, she's the kind of bird who puts herself in the cage and closes the door. I'm the kind no one can capture in the first place. She doesn't have to worry, I'll be out of her hair in no time."  
  
Ororro nodded, bade her goodnight, and left the room. Isabella sat in the fading darkness of her room, and turned on her radio, then remembered something. She grabbed her personal notebook, and began jotting things down. The next day was Saturday, and Isabella slept in too long, there was a Logan Session in the Danger Room, and she was the last one to get up, as always. She ran down the stairs, tripped and tumbled down the stairs, landing at someone's feet. She looked up, and saw a tan blond looking down at her.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
He held out her hand, and she took his hand, and he helped her up.  
  
"Up ya go."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"So where are you headed to this early in the morning, and in such a total rush?"  
  
"Erm. breakfast? If I don't hurry then no one will leave me any food."  
  
She panicked, she couldn't tell him she was off the Danger Room that would cause some questions she couldn't answer, especially to a norm.  
  
"This early on a Saturday? That reaks!"  
  
Isabella nodded slowly.  
  
"Yeah, I guess it does."  
  
"Isabella!" she heard Scott shout.  
  
"Hold on! There's a person here!" she shouted back as he came through the door where the elevator was hidden from the public eye.  
  
The second he saw the guy who was talking to Isabella he pulled him into a hug. Isabella stared at him.  
  
"Alex! Man, you weren't supposed to get here until this afternoon!"  
  
"Earlier flight, dude!" said Alex.  
  
Isabella looked from one to the other, confused.  
  
"Oh! Alex, this is Isabella, the new girl."  
  
Isabella stood up straight.  
  
"Just call me Isabella, you can ignore the fact that I'm new," said Isabella.  
  
Alex laughed.  
  
"We're headed to the Danger Room, you can hang with the Professor until we're done," said Scott.  
  
Alex looked at Isabella.  
  
"You told me you were headed to breakfast," said Alex, suspiciously.  
  
"You didn't tell me you were Alex," she retorted.  
  
The three headed down, and Scott and Isabella entered the Danger Room  
  
"Where have you been?" demanded Jean.  
  
Isabella ignored her and walked to Kitty and Rogue.  
  
"She ran into Alex and thought he was a norm," answered Scott.  
  
"A 'norm'? You're using it, too!"  
  
Isabella rolled her eyes.  
  
"I overslept, then I ran into Scott's brother. I freaked and didn't know what to say."  
  
Kitty giggled.  
  
"I can't imagine you getting tongue tied."  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"It's early, it happens."  
  
"I know how you feel," said Rogue. "Sometimes I get that way around Scott."  
  
Isabella smiled sympathetically.  
  
"It's okay, what's meant to be, will be."  
  
The session began and ended, everyone was exhausted, as always. Scott and Alex went out, and Isabella went wandering around Bayville. The weekend ended, and the week went by faster than she had expected, and it was shortly Thursday afternoon.  
  
"Isabella? What are you doing?" Chris asked her.  
  
She looked up, not registering her surroundings, or Chris.  
  
"What?"  
  
She looked around, she was halfway through Bayville, going in the wrong direction. Chris was following her in his car, a worried expression on his face.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Get in the car, I'll take you home."  
  
"'K."  
  
She nodded, and got into his car, still confused, and oblivious.  
  
"What's wrong, Isabella? You haven't been yourself all week, and you didn't even call me this weekend."  
  
"Sorry, just got a few things goin on in muh head."  
  
"Well, get them straightened out so I can have my Isabella back."  
  
He pulled into the manor driveway, as she nodded and got out."  
  
"Bye."  
  
She kissed him, and got out of the car. She walked zombie- like into the manor, up the stairs and into her room, where she sat, with her music on, ignoring everyone who came to the door. Around eight, she walked out the front door and flew across the bay to Bayville, and walked around town, went to a movie, then went back to the manor. Logan stood in the front hallway when she entered.  
  
"Late night?" he asked, making Isabella jump.  
  
"It's only ten thirty, Jean's still doing homework."  
  
"Not telling anyone where you were going isn't something we promote here."  
  
"I went for a walk, I walked by the theatre and decided I wanted to see a movie. It was spontaneous, I didn't plan to see a movie, some things can't be planned."  
  
"Well, try."  
  
"I'm not Jean, I'm not perfect, and I don't plan to be, well, really, I don't plan at all."  
  
He sighed and walked away, so she went to bed. 


	5. Secrets Revealed

Generation X Chapter 5  
  
Friday afternoon, towards the end of sixth period, the unexpected, yet expected, happened.  
  
"Will Isabella Sulinski please come to the office," the voice over the intercom rang thought the halls.  
  
Kurt looked over at Isabella, both of whom were all ready in class, Isabella shrugged, and walked out of her English class. She walked by the classes of several of her friends, all of whom were confused. She walked into the office, and the secretary pointed to the principal's office. Isabella knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in Miss Sulinski."  
  
Isabella opened the door, entered, and sat down in front of Principal Kelly's desk.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
The room was dark; the only light came from the window Principal Kelly was staring out of.  
  
"Yes. Professor Xavier just phoned, your parents have sent you something, they delivered it. personally," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
Isabella was confused.  
  
"Okay?"  
  
He turned suddenly; she jumped, thinking he was angry.  
  
"Don't you want to see them?" he inquires, speaking in the same quiet voice.  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Well, Professor Xavier wants you back at the manor directly after school."  
  
Isabella nodded.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"You may go now."  
  
She stood up mechanically and left. When she got back to class, she was there long enough to pack up before class ended. She walked zombie- like and became very pale on the way to the parking lot. Scott, Jean, Kitty, Kurt, Evan, Amara, Rogue, Remy, Pitor, St. John, Jubilee, Bobby, Sam, Rahne, Roberto and Ray walked up to her black mustang convertible.  
  
"Bella-" began Jean.  
  
Isabella turned around, looked at Jean, then fainted, Scott caught her, and Kurt opened her car door, so Scott could sit her somewhere, Isabella shortly came to.  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Kurt  
  
Isabella nodded, regaining some color, and strength.  
  
"I-I've gotta get back to the manor," managed Isabella.  
  
"Why? What for?" asked Kitty.  
  
"They're here."  
  
"Who's here?" asked St. John.  
  
Isabella looked at Jean.  
  
"Parentals."  
  
Jean paled.  
  
"Do they know about you?"  
  
Isabella slowly nodded.  
  
"The fact that I pushed him clean through a wall kinda gave away the fact I was different."  
  
"You did what!?"  
  
Isabella looked up at Jean.  
  
"He was comparing me."  
  
Isabella got all the way in her car, closed the door, and started the car. She put the top down, and said a quick prayer, then threw the car in reverse.  
  
"Wait!" called Jean, and Isabella stopped the car.  
  
"What?"  
  
Jean ran around to the other side of the car, threw her stuff in the back, and sat in the passenger seat.  
  
"I think we'll be stronger in numbers."  
  
Isabella smiled, gripped Jean's hand slightly, then pulled out of the parking lot. Fifteen minutes later, Isabella pulled into the garage. The two walked into the manor, and walked into Professor Xavier's office. Mr. and Mrs. Sulinski stood, but had to sit back down at the sight of Jean. Once the shock had subsided, Mrs. Sulinski stood, slowly walking toward Jean. She thrust a manila envelope into Isabella's hands. Mr. Sulinski looked at Isabella and glared.  
  
"What did you do?!" he shouted.  
  
"She has done nothing," said Professor Xavier.  
  
Mr. Sulinski stepped toward her, his hand raised to hit her, Isabella threw her arms up to cover her head. Logan, claws out, jumped in front of Isabella.  
  
"It's okay, Shortcake, this guy ain't gonna touch you," growled Logan.  
  
Isabella lowered her arms, but she was still tense. . "And who are you to stop me?" hissed Mr. Sulinski.  
  
Suddenly, he flew upward.  
  
"Daddy, leave Bella alone!" said Jean.  
  
Both parents looked at their beloved daughter.  
  
"J-Jean?" managed Mrs. Sulinski.  
  
"Jean, please put him down," said Professor Xavier.  
  
Mr. Sulinski was set on his feet. Isabella opened the envelope, read its contents then looked at Jean.  
  
"Does Isabella Grey sound good?"  
  
Jean looked at her strangely.  
  
"What is that?" Jean asked Isabella.  
  
"I'm being emancipated from their care."  
  
Logan growled, Mr. McCoy's brow furrowed, and Ororro looked infuriated.  
  
"Can I adopt you? I mean, you'll be seventeen in a couple months, and then you'll have a year before you turn eighteen, so it won't be permanent. but if you want me to."  
  
Both girls looked at Professor Xavier, who shook his head.  
  
"They won't allow it. Technically, Jean Grey doesn't exist, and Jean Sulinski is dead, and you are still in high school, you couldn't support ourselves if something was to happen to the Institute."  
  
Jean nodded.  
  
"Then what am I gonna do?"  
  
She seemed so helpless.  
  
"I'll do it, I'll adopt ya, Shortcake," Logan's low growl came from the corner he'd retreated to. He nodded at Professor Xavier. Isabella's face lit up like a Christmas tree. She ran over and hugged him.  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Logan!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah."  
  
Isabella signed the documents and Mr. and Mrs. Sulinski left. Two weeks later, the were in court. (I know that's quick, but I wanted to do it quickly)  
  
"Mister. er. Logan, are you willing to adopt this young lady, to take care of her as if she were your own daughter?" asked the judge.  
  
"Yep"  
  
Some of the X-men tried not to laugh.  
  
"Miss Sulinski-er Grey, are you freely accepting Mr. Logan as your legal guardian?"  
  
"Yes sir," said Isabella.  
  
This was a good day, her change of name had been accepted, Mr. Logan became her new guardian, and the emancipation from her parents was complete. They left court, all in a good mood.  
  
"So, are you gonna call him 'Dad', Isabella?" asked Amara.  
  
Isabella looked at Logan.  
  
"Prolly not, I don't think he'd answer to it."  
  
He smiled and shook his head.  
  
"Nope, but instead of 'Mr. Logan' you can just call me Logan."  
  
Isabella nodded, smiling. They got back to the manor and had a party, not as loud as the usual parties, but as loud as Jean, Scott and the Professor would allow. The next day there was a knock on Isabella's door.  
  
"Mmmmm whuyouwan?" she muttered sleepily.  
  
Jean came in.  
  
"Rise and shine!"  
  
"'S Saturday."  
  
"I know, Kitty, Amara, Tabitha, Rogue, you and I are going shopping!"  
  
Isabella groaned.  
  
"You remember the last time we went shopping? We almost got arrested, and if it hadn't been for that lady, we would have been!"  
  
"Not that! We're shopping for prom dresses."  
  
Isabella sighed.  
  
"Fine."  
  
She slowly got up, and got ready, Jean waiting outside her room. Isabella walked out of her room, ready to go, they walked to the garage, all six girls got in Isabella's car, and Isabella drove to the mall.  
  
"Now entering Prepville," Isabella whispered to Rogue.  
  
"Ya, really."  
  
Jean and Kitty pulled Isabella and Rogue behind them. After five hours of shopping (and complaining) they all had their dresses for prom. They got back to the manor.  
  
"All right, now what?" asked Isabella, collapsing on the sofa.  
  
Rogue collapsed on the other end.  
  
"Sleep, I hope."  
  
Isabella laughed slightly.  
  
"I concur."  
  
Jean and Kitty grinned.  
  
"All right, now we exercise," said Jean, enthusiastically.  
  
"Yeah, we gotta look totally fab for prom next week," said Kitty.  
  
Isabella floated a few yards into the air.  
  
"No way Jose! I'm not exercisin' with u two, I think I'll do a Logan session first," said Isabella.  
  
"Now I'm gonna have to make my sessions harder, because you're comparing my sessions to them shopping. I'm sure your teammates will be thrilled," said Logan from the doorway.  
  
"It has nothing to do with the level on intensity, it's more to do with who I trust with my life." The sofa stood on its side, and hit Isabella through the open window and 30 yards from the manor. She laid on the ground where she'd landed for a minute before a face was in hers. She threw a punch, not able to see who it was, there was a puff of smoke, and the face was on her right, instead of on her left. "KURT! Don't scare me like that!"  
  
"Don't throw punches at random people. I thought I vas dead!"  
  
A hand was held out and she took it so she could get up. The hand belonged to Scott.  
  
"What happened?" asked Scott.  
  
"Your girlfriend," growled Isabella.  
  
She flew back into the window, and faced Jean, anger evident on her face. An alarm sounded somewhere and everyone ran into the front hallway, prepared to fight. Isabella hovered a few feet above everyone else as the X- Men faced the Brotherhood.  
  
"Sokeeppickinupmoreandmoregoodygoodieshuh?" Pietro asked, looking up at Isabella, who glared at him.  
  
She looked at the Brotherhood, she'd seen them around, except the woman, she'd never seen her before, yet she seemed familiar. A tongue grabbed Isabella's ankle.  
  
"Ew!"  
  
She kicked her leg up, throwing Toad across the room.  
  
"Ow, girl, that hurt!"  
  
"Don't try to make- out with my leg again, got it?"  
  
The woman laughed a little, and Isabella looked at her. The woman looked up at Isabella, and for a split- second she appeared as a tall blonde woman, whom Isabella instantly recognized. Everyone in the room froze and stared at the woman.  
  
"Misty?!" Isabella shouted, in shock.  
  
Isabella lowered herself to the ground.  
  
"Yes, it's me Carol."  
  
Isabella laughed and the two hugged, as everyone stared in shock.  
  
"Long time no see, dahlin!"  
  
Misty smiled.  
  
"That it has. I haven't seen you since-"  
  
"They don't know," Isabella whispered.  
  
"Oh, all right."  
  
"I've missed you! You'll never guess who's here!"  
  
"Tony?"  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"No, but close. St. John!"  
  
"What is he doing here?"  
  
Isabella shrugged.  
  
"They come every now and then for a while, then they leave."  
  
"Hey, Marvel, we're in the middle of sumthing," said Rogue.  
  
"But it's Misty!"  
  
"O.kay? And that's supposed to mean something?" asked Kitty.  
  
"Yeah! Misty saved my life and my ass a couple of times!"  
  
Misty laughed.  
  
"And you've saved me and mine a number of times also, Miss Carol Elizabeth Danners."  
  
Isabella smiled, thought for a minute, then her smile faded.  
  
"Chanel."  
  
"Yes, you know that's my favorite."  
  
"The lady cop from the warehouse wore Chanel."  
  
"Yeah, so? Lots of women wear Chanel," said Jean.  
  
"I know, but Misty mixes several together. you're the lady cop who saved our asses!"  
  
Jean, Rogue, Tabitha, Kitty, and Amara stared at Misty.  
  
"Well, it was either receive help from me or get arrested, you decide," said Misty, harshly.  
  
"No, I'm glad you did, and it's fantabulous seeing you again!"  
  
"You've changed, you've begun to act your age, and not twenty years older."  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"Yea, well, I haven't had to be so much older."  
  
"Good, you needed to relax."  
  
Isabella smiled.  
  
"Yeah I did. But now I'm not the big sister any more."  
  
Isabella looked at Jean.  
  
"THAT'S Jean?"  
  
"Yep, that's Jean."  
  
"I never would have thought."  
  
"Really? Everyone thought we were twins until. the 'incident' as it was referred to."  
  
"I can't see the two of you being related after I saw you in New York."  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"I know, right!"  
  
"I remember the time when-"  
  
"No telly! None of them know ANYTHING about that."  
  
"Well why not? From what I understand, you've been here a while."  
  
"Yes, and I don't want to mess things up by telling my odd life to everyone."  
  
"It's not that odd."  
  
Isabella raised an eyebrow.  
  
"How is it not odd? Do you even remember those three months? Most people don't even do those things in their lifetime!"  
  
"Okay, maybe it was a little weird."  
  
Isabella laughed.  
  
"Well, there is no such thing as normal, so."  
  
Misty laughed, and then it turned into a sigh.  
  
"You have become such a beautiful young woman, I'm so proud of you."  
  
Isabella and Misty hugged.  
  
"Thanks, Misty."  
  
She smiled and motioned to the Brotherhood, who were glued to their places.  
  
"Carol, I had no idea it was you."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Some of the boys told me there was a new. 'X-chick' was their word, and I didn't think it was you. Even in the warehouse I didn't know."  
  
"It's all good."  
  
They smiled.  
  
"You are too forgiving, young one."  
  
"That's the only good thing I learned from Tony."  
  
Misty laughed.  
  
"Don't follow Tony in everything. He trusted people to the cell. You know that 'Big Deal' he was working on?"  
  
"Yes, that's all he talked about."  
  
"Undercover cop."  
  
"Oh no! I heard he was in prison."  
  
Misty nodded.  
  
"You and St John being minors were just a perk. The guy had been following us all along."  
  
"Nuh- uh!"  
  
"Yes- huh. Hey! I thought you couldn't leave."  
  
"She thought it would be good for me."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Okay, Isabella I want to know everything about New York," demanded Jean.  
  
"Well, if you're coming from another country by ship, the first thing you see is the Statue of Liberty. Then, after Ellis Island, people try to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge-" began Isabella.  
  
Misty burst out laughing.  
  
"You KNOW that's not what I meant!"  
  
"I think we'd better go. Come, we're leaving!" said Mystique.  
  
She turned and walked out, the Brotherhood behind her. The X-men walked to the living room and sat down.  
  
"Isabella, you don't have to tell anyone yet."  
  
Isabella took a deep breath.  
  
"No. I'm ready."  
  
'Ready for what?" asked Scott.  
  
"Well, a month after my sister, Alexandra Jean Tatiana Elizabeth Helga Celeste Lynn Sulinski, left us, supposedly dead, I ran away from home, I ended up roaming the streets of New York City. That's when I met Tony. Tony was a drug dealer, fake ID maker, and 'Saint of Runaways' as he was called on the street. Tony thought he could trust everyone, landing him in prison. But, he got me a job, an ID, and a place to live. I lived with Raven Darkholme, but she went by Misty, a local. er.entertainer. For three months it was nothing but fun, well, after three months, the four of us; Tony, Misty, St. John and I; were driving around, we were arrested, I was sent back to North Carolina, Tony went to prison, and I'm currently on parole until November."  
  
The X-men sat in shock.  
  
"Entertainer?" prompted Rogue.  
  
"We-She was a stripper."  
  
"WE?!" shouted Jean.  
  
"Well. yes. And when we were arrested, three out of the four of us were piss drunk. You would have known that if you had stayed, Jean."  
  
"I never knew dat about me mudder," said Kurt.  
  
Isabella stood, walked outside and flew to the tallest point of the Institute, and laid there looked up at the sky. Eventually, she fell asleep, regretting ever seeing Jean again. 


End file.
